The Difference Between a Suprise and a Mistake
by Marguerite Krex
Summary: Story 10 in the Happy Family Series. One of Roxton's jungle floozies from his early days comes back with something to haunt him. Which responsibilities will he honor...because it can't be both ways!
1. Chapter 1

The Difference Between a Surprise and a Mistake  
  
  
  
A Note: My older brother, jerk that he was, once told me that when my parent's adopted my, they made a mistake-typical older brother bullying. I went to my mother and asked "Was I a mistake" and she said "No, you were a surprise" and I asked "What's the difference" and she said "A mistake is something you don't want. A surprise is something you never know how much you wanted until you have it."  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Things were quiet. Had been quiet for quite some time-well as quiet as things could get with a young boy who was just learning to toddle and took after his father when it came to adventure and his mother when it came to temper tantrums.. Not that anyone was complaining. Will was a joy and his over zealousness was tempered by a gentle, protective spirit. He would never be far from Em's side, protecting her from made up monsters and dinosaurs that plagued every dark corner of the tree house for him to battle.  
  
Elsewhere on the plateau, things were not so peaceful. Not to terribly far away a woman, face, body, and spirit horribly scarred, made her way twords the treehouse with a bundle in her arms. She had been left for dead by her lover, held back from coming to his rightful side at her side as her champion by his pesky friends. She was once the ape men's queen, they lived to serve her and he turned them against her as well. They'd be taken care of soon enough she vowed. John Roxton would be hers once more and her ticket to his loyalty was in her arms. It was a miricle the baby survived when she almost hadn't, having been mauled and left for dead by her once faithful subjects. The little infant girl was her trump card and she definitely planned on using it. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ned Malone sat back with a sigh. Things couldn't be more perfect. It was sunny, but not to bright or hot. They spot they'd chosen for their picnic. He was in a nice grassy spot, a fresh journal in his lap but was to busy watching his best friend and wife-he never got tired of thinking that phrase-play with Will who had just discovered the wonderful act of walking which caused numerous heart attacks for his mother whenever he got within 10 feet of the railing or bridge which connected the second tree house to the first. Veronica, or Aunt Ronnie to Will, were playing a game of keep away with a ball from Roxton who was having fun "almost" catching them. Best of all was the small bundle who was fast asleep beside him. Em was the picture of perfection, bright blue eyes and golden curles. She took more after her mother in looks, but father in personality, happily cooing away her days in relitive quiet.  
  
Up stream was Marguerite and Challenger, doing a quick survey of the rock bed before they took the rest of the day off. Ned was amazed at the changes in the woman. Not that she'd changed THAT much, she was still prone to recklessly endangering her live and that of her husband and everyone else's on occasion for a pretty rock, deeming it "a necessary investment for Will's future" but it wasn't a constant. He wouldn't call it "maternal," Marugierte would never be that. Just-happier. Content for what might very well be the first time in her life, not feeling the pressing need to constantly get more and more of what she had.  
  
His attention was drawn back as the ball that Will, Roxton and Veronica were playing with accidently splashed into the water. "I'll get it." Roxton immedately volenteered and quickly headed down the path by the water to catch up with the rapidly departing ball. Finially he caught up with it and waded into the water to get it.and promptly dropped it again when he turned around and saw a woman standing at the edge of the water. Her face was so scarred he didn't recognized for one, blissful moment.  
  
"Danielle?!" he asked, in complete surprise. "I..We thought you were dead."  
  
"You left me for dead you mean." she snapped. Plesantries worked the first time on the hansome hunter, but not now. She might as well get to the point. "I want you to meet someone."  
  
".Who?" he asked, getting a bad feeling deep in the pit of his stomach.  
  
Danielle smiled almost evily and pulled the blanket away from the bundle in her arms. "Your daughter." 


	3. Chapter 3

"...My daughter..." Roxton repeated.  
  
Danielle smirked. "Who aslmot died no thanks to you." she added, rubbing it in a little.  
  
Roxton opened his mouth, then shut it. For once brief moment he thought about dening it, but there was a chance...a slim one, but it was there, as large as life. He had to honor that. The baby could be his, and that was enough.  
  
"Sounds like you're having a little picnic," she continued. "Why don't we go join your friends?"  
He saw no other choice and silentlly headed back to the clearing.  
  
"Forgot what you went after? Your dad's getting forgetful in his old age." Veronica said smirking to Will who gave her a big smile. Instantly her smile was gone when she saw Danielle follow him from the tree line. "Ned..." she called over to her husband who looked up and was instantly on his feet, rifel in hand.  
  
"Relax..." Roxton called, waving his friend back. Ned glanced uneasily at him, then to Veronica but lowered the gun.  
  
"What's she doing here?" Veronica asked, heading over with Will on her hip.  
  
"Why, what a cute little boy!" Danielle said passing Roxton the baby without even making sure he had a good hold on her. "I'm Danielle...and I can tell you and me are going to be best friends." she said, trying to sound sincere..and failing miserably. Will just hid his face against Veronica.  
  
Roxton just staired at the baby. She was dirty, and looked a little startled at being handed over so quickly but didn't make a peep. Instead, he found himself instantly in love when she snuggled against his chest, cooing softly.  
  
"He doesn't look like you." Danielle commented nastily with a sneer to Veronica.  
  
"That's because he's not mine. Me and Will are just buddies, right Will?"  
  
"RIGHT!" Will answered with a grin.  
  
"Will is Roxton and Marguerite's son." Veronica informed the woman smugly.  
  
"My my..you do get around John. Any other children I should know about?"  
  
Roxton's eyes narrowed darkly at her, but couldn't really say any thing. He HAD had his wilder days--and of course his liason with Danielle was brought on by dark magic. "What do you want?"  
  
"John, I'm hurt! I only want our daughter to know her father." she said, trying to look innocent and again failing.  
  
"If he's even the father..." Ned muttered under his breath and Danielle whirled on him, hissing.  
  
"Stay out of it." she warned.  
  
Veronica's eyes narrowed and she stepped up by Ned's side.  
  
"Everyone calm down. We'll have enough problems when Marguerite finds out...let's not add to them hmm?" Roxton interjected.  
  
"Ah yes..Marguerite..current fling of the week?"  
  
"My wife. And you'd best remember that." Roxton growled, almost threateningly. While he couldn't abandon his child or its mother, no matter how much he disliked her, he'd die before breaking his word and betraying Marguerite in such a manor.  
  
"Speaking of..." Veronica said softly and nodded to the river where Challenger and Marguerite were comming into view.  
  
"...This isnt gunna be pretty..." Ned said softly. 


	4. A note

A quick note to answer some questions. In my own little universe, these stories started before Roxton was with Danielle. And as with most things in season 2 and 3, i'll have to come up with reasons for things being the way they are. This is what I came up with for the explination that the new baby is younger than Will. Marguerite and Roxton were married 2 or 3 months before the incident with Danielle and Will was born before that. My explination for him sleeping with her the once was just another part of the voodoo magic spell she put on him so he wasnt really in control of his actions (don't all guys wish for that nice of an excuse?). It'll all be explained in detail in later chapters, I'm just putting this up as a little FYI. 


	5. Chapter 4

"What the hell's that tramp doing here?" Marguerite fumed, making a bee line straight for Danielle who only smirked as Challenger restrained her with a gentle hand but it wasn't needed. Marguerite froze in her tracks in instant she saw the baby and put two and two together. "I ...see." was all she could mutter. She could feel cold dred slowly creep into her body. She remembered not 2 months after the small but perfect wedding ceremony finding her new husband "in love" with another woman. Thirty odd years of insecurity came rushing to the surface.  
  
Finding out later that it was black magic helped matters but ever since, there had always been a nagging doubt in the back of her mind that perhaps Roxton would stray as most English milords did. It was perfectly acceptable...even expected in society for infedelity to plague a marriage. One part of her insisted that he'd honor his vows to the day he died as would she...but another part...  
  
Quickly she shook off the numb feeling and scooped up Will. "I think we've all had enough fun for one day...Challenger, could you help me pack the picnic basket up?"  
  
Veronica just exchanged a look with her husband. No one on God's green earth would have expected a subdued Marguerite--it simply wasn't her style. She knew her friend had to be hurting and if she didn't express that all those walls that had come down and allowed her to love Roxton and her son would slam back up...not that she could blame her.   
  
They all headed back in silence, Danielle following Roxton who still held the baby. She simply glared at his back..thing's wern't going at all as she planned. She saw the futive looks he sent in Marguerite's direction, hoping to catch her eye, saw the wedding bands. This would be harder than she thought. Or perhaps not. One person stood in her way. Marguerite. She'd have to die. 


	6. Chapter 5

Silently everyone headed up to the tree house and Marguerite went straight across the bridge to the smaller, Roxton family tree house to put Will to bed who was sleeping in her arms.  
  
"Where am I going to sleep?" Danielle asked innocently.  
  
Veronica simply glared and followed Marguerite, hoping she could get her friend to talk. Ned just shook his head and went down below with Emelia to bed.  
  
"Er..there's a spare bedroom, 3rd door on the left." Was all Challenger said before he too headed below to the lab leaving Roxton alone.  
  
"Well...goodnight dear." she said, heading down twords the rooms.  
  
"Wait..what about the baby...?"  
  
Danielle snorted, "She's half yours, you take care of her!" and with a flip of her hair she was gone.  
  
Roxton slowly looked down at the baby. "Looks like you and me are sharing the couch...." he muttered as he headed over to the sink to first give her a bath, then make himself comfortable on the divan in the main room. He may be brave, but he wasn't stupid enough to try to get into his bedroom tonight.  
  
Meanwhile, over in the treehouse Veronica watched Marguerite bustle about, straightening things as she waited for a pot of water to boil.  
  
"He loves you you know.." Veronica said softly, getting no response from her friend. "Marguerite..it's you he married."  
  
"After I had Will."  
  
"You think he married you because of Will?!"  
  
"...Answer this...you think he would have married me for Will's sake even if he didn't love me?" Marguerite shot back. Veronica couldn't answer. "Veronica...I'm fine. This sort of thing is norma." The pretty blond just staired at her and Marguerite continued. "It's not unusual for these little suprises to pop up, especially back in England. Roxton's a man...like any other...I'm not as young as I used to be either...a wrinkle here, a little sagging there. So what if he has to run off to find a little entertainment? I'm the one he comes home to. I'm luckier than most you know. He doesn't drink...he doesn't hit..."  
  
"Margueirte, he was drugged! Under a spell, it wasn't like he choose to go out and have an affair! He's not flaunting her under your nose for all to see, he's just as humili and embarassed as you are."  
  
"Veronica...it's alright. He's been good to me. And he's a wonderful father. I KNOW what it's like to be in a bad marriage, I'm not so bad off."  
  
Veronica just sighed and stood up, "Get some sleep..alright?" and left after Marguerite nodded. Slowly she moved over to Roxton who was just dressing the baby in one of Emelia's spare nighties. "Give her to me and go talk to your wife." she said softly. Roxton looked at her questioningly and Veronica sighed. "Right now she's convinced the only reason you could possibly be with her is out of a false sense of honor..it's inconcievable that you'd actually WANT to be with such a used up old biddy."   
  
"She know's that's not true! She's the most beautiful, alive person I've ever met and I love her no matt-"  
  
"She doesn't know Roxton! That's the point," Veronica interupted. "Look...you arnt the most romantic of men, that's fine. She knew that when she married you and thats part of why she loves you...just tell her you love her. Make her believe it. You love her. I know it, you know it, everyone else knows it except her..but right now, she's the only one that NEEDS to know it. Any other day of the week she'd never doubt you, not for a second...I just...I think she needs to hear "I love you" right now."  
  
"Veronica..what would I do without you?"  
  
"Don't ask..you really don't want to know." she said with a smirk. 


	7. Chapter 6

Quietly and cautiously, Roxton stepped into the main room of the smaller treehouse. Everything was quiet. He slipped into Will's room and blew out the lap after tucking him in and kissing his forehead. He mad his way through the bathroom and stopped in the doorway. Marguer's back was to him as she sat in front of the small mirror, brushing her long hair. He heard her sigh softly as she put the brush down and ran her hand over some worry lines on her forehead.  
"Hey.." he called softly.  
"See this? This is you." she said. "And this one," she continued, her hand moving to strok some lines by her eyes. "That's you too."  
"I'm sorry."  
"..not your fault."  
"Marguerite..."  
"Your sorry. So you just said. It'll never happen again and this doesn't change how you feel...did it go something like that?" she said, almost snapping. She'd heard those words far to often from Charles to actually believe them.  
"I AM sorry. And baring magic spells or mind control, it will NEVER happen again. But it doe change how I feel." he said, moving to kneel beside her. "This all ju makes me realize how lucky I really am in the first place...and makes me realize how much I take you for granted. And it's going to stop. I feel like the luckiest man in the world. I COULD have married some 18 year old debutante porciline doll, but-"  
Marguerite interupted, "There were none on the plateau?"  
He just gave her a look and she fell silent. "I didn't want that...I never have. I always wanted a woman who...who wouldn't just compliment the Roxton name. I wanted someone who could be my partner in all things. Who I could talk to and share things with. I wanted someone who could keep up with more than tea times and balls. Marugierte, you're so much more than just a pretty face! You have spirt and fire...and I never in my life thought I'd find a woman like you. I didn't know women like you 


	8. Chapter 7

Danielle paced angrily. How DARE he choose that..that commoner over her?! She'd been a queen..but that had been taken away. Marguerite's fault as well. Well, she knew how to take care of interfering little nobodies like that. Silently she pulled a small pouch from her belt. Oh yes, soon, Marguerite wouldn't be a problem for anyone. The little brat would have to go too, but that could wait. He wasn't any real threat. For now.  
  
Looking up, she managed to stuff the pouch in her sleave just before Marguerite entered the kitchen. For a long moment they staired at each other in tense silence.  
  
"I came for some tea..." Marguerite said but made no move to go past the witch who stood between her and the tea pot.  
  
"Oh by all means..let me!" Danielle offered plastering a sneer on her face and turned. It was too perfect! Carefully she poured a cup of hot water from the kettle into a mug and sprinkled in some of the leathal herbs before plopping in a tea bag and handing it to her.   
  
Marguerite just eyed her and headed back across the bridge, sipping her tea, unknowingly. With a satisfied smirk, Danielle headed to bed.  
  
The next morning they were awakened by a panicked Roxton who burst into Challengers room and pratically dragged the man across the bridge and into his bedroom. There lay Marguerite, pale with almost a greenish tint, her entire body trembling as if freezing.  
  
"She wont wake up...Challenger...do something!" Roxton said, looking panicked.  
  
"Get ahold of yourself man!" George Challenger said. "Take your son and go to the other tree house, it might be contageous. I'll be over in a minute."  
  
Roxton opened his mouth to argue but quietly went and scooped up Will. If he lost Marguerite..he couldn't live with losing his son. Sleepily, Will just lifted his head to see who was man-handling him and upon seeing his father, just stuck a thumb in his mouth and was out like a light a moment later, having no idea that his mother lay just a few feet away....fighting for her life. 


	9. Chapter 8

Sighing, George Challenger headed across the bridge to the treehouse and serveyed his family. Veronica was in the kitchen, trying to stay busy...she always had to have her hands working on something. Ned, the consumate father was sitting with tiny Em who was just quietly looking around, sensing the tension in the room and not making a peep and then there was Roxton. The man who had become more than just a close friend but more like a son was standing with his back to him looking over the balcony overlooking the small clearing the called home, his back rivited with tension.  
  
"I've examined Marguerite...there's no apparent signs to explain her illness. It couldn't have been food poisoning becasue we ate everything she did in the last few days..there was no signs of any bug or animal bites. I'm...at a loss.." he said softly. "John..you're sure she hasn't been anywhere out of the ordinary..?" Roxton said nothing and Challenger took that as a "no". The not so young Lord hated the powerless feeling even more than he himself did and Challenger could sympathise. While he and his wife had not, in all honesty, shared the special kind of bond and love Roxton and Marguerite did, it still would have pained him to see the woman he cared for in such obvious pain and peril.  
  
"Good morning everyone!" Danielle said, comming up and almost tripping over Will who was playing on the steps, holding little baby Mary in her arms.  
  
"I smell a rat..." Veronica muttered, looking up from the food she was preparing.  
  
"...what..?" Said Danielle, trying to look confused...but just becasue she was an insane Voodoo Queen doesnt mean she had Marguerite's "wonderful" ability to lie under preassure.  
  
Slowly Roxton turned twords Danielle, his eyes a terrifying icey, indescribable color as he slowly stalked twords her, the witch backing up, holding the baby as a shield.  
  
"Now just hold on! I did it for us, don't you see?!" She said, dropping the act as Roxton pluced little Mary from her arms and passed her to Veronica before grabbing Danielle by her uppers arms.  
  
"What did you do to my wife!?" he hissed, his voice barely audible. Danielle gulped...this definately wasn't going how she planned. 


End file.
